Saturday, 6 July 2013

Muscle is a soft tissue and forms a vital part of human body a muscle cramp is a physical condition when a muscle contracts involuntarily and forcibly and does not relax. It can occur mostly while exercising, swimming, playing, sleeping or after sitting too long in one place without much moving your body parts.

Given below are some of the best remedial measures for curing muscular cramps:

Massages: Massage the cramped body part gently and slowly .This comforts the contracted muscles by improving blood circulation in the cramped area. One massage a day would serve the purpose.

Stretching: Stretching should be done to overcome the cramps in leg muscles; it is especially recommended for calf and thigh muscles. Stretch your legs with toes pointing upwards and towards the head for muscle tension in your calf. Hold on to this position for 20 seconds. This also softens cramps in the back of the thighs. And also for the front thigh, pull your foot towards your buttocks and hold for 20 seconds.

Healthy diet: Often cramps can be caused due to lack of minerals like calcium and potassium in your diet. Consume skim milk and yoghurt for calcium intake. Eat bananas and potatoes to increase potassium level. It will surely allay all kinds of muscle cramps.

Cold treatment: Ice pack should be rubbed over the affected area for five to ten minutes, till the skin turns red. It improves the blood circulation, thus alleviating the muscle tension.

Hot showers: In order to get respite from cramps take hot water baths or showers. Expose the tensed area to hot water for a longer time. Also, you can use a piece of cloth to spread water more effectively on the hurt area.

Hydration: Dehydration often leads to muscle cramps. To get rid of this, it is recommended to increase the intake of water in order to revitalise your body as well as to continuously replenish lost fluids.

Chamomile Tea: It is enriched with glycine, an amino acid which is found to be of great help in relaxing the muscles. You can take five cups daily for two weeks to relax muscle cramps.

Ayurvedic solution: Make a saturated solution of hot water with a homemade teabag of brown or black mustard seeds. Dip your feet in this tub for twenty minutes to soothe your cramped muscle.

Pressure points: First, you need to locate the epicentre of the cramp. Then, you need to press the located spot with your thumb. You can also do it with the heel of your hand or a loosely clenched fist. After holding the pressure for ten to fifteen seconds, you can repeat the whole process again. You're doing it right if you feel some discomfort, but not extreme pain. After a number of iterations, the pain from the cramp would start to allay.

Mustard, Pickle juice: They both contain acetic acid, which helps produce acetylcholine, a stimulant for your leg muscles. A spoonful (15 ml) of mustard or a few grams of pickle juice would be enough to soothe leg cramps.

Honey and Vinegar mixture: Take one teaspoon (5 ml) of honey and mix it with two teaspoons (10 ml) of vinegar in a glass of warm water and drink this mixture. It would help relieve the pain to a great extent.

The above mentioned techniques are helpful in consoling and mitigating muscle cramps. However, if you still experience cramps, it would be appropriate to consult your doctor immediately.